Speakers at a Kingston City School District Board of Education meeting said they want faster answers, clearer communication and accountability after multiple reports of an unsafe or intimidating culture at George Washington Elementary.

Community members who spoke during the public comment period said they have raised concerns for years and asked the board and district leaders to act. “We have put our faith in you to protect all children at all schools, and we need better from you,” Dr. Sarah Franklin said, identifying herself as the parent of two children at GW Elementary.

The remarks were part of a series of public comments that also included calls for the district to publish clearer updates in languages other than English and to provide follow-up meetings for parents. “I’ve heard reports that give me a lot of pause,” Dylan Paul, who identified himself as a parent and an educator, said, and added he and others “demand accountability.”

Several speakers said parents and staff raised alarms about problems at GW for years before recent action. Alana Verger, a parent who said she served as co-chair of the GW PTO for many years, told the board she believes “parents, teachers, staff, and many others were raising the alarm for, like, five years.” Franny Newman said the board must move from statements to “action and transparency.”

Superintendent Dr. Catalino responded during the board meeting that district leaders had already been meeting with community groups and outside organizations and that additional outreach and training are planned. “Victor’s gonna help us with some training for some of our people. So on our superintendent’s conference day on November 4, he's gonna do some training for our security team and our monitors,” Dr. Catalino said, referring to Victor, the executive director of UIPN (as named in the meeting).

Dr. Catalino also said he had met with parents and planned follow-up meetings to answer questions and said the district is trying to establish points of communication with community organizations. “We’ve kind of committed to continuing to to talk and to work on things,” he said.

Board members and speakers asked the district to produce clearer, translated messages and to schedule more opportunities for parents to meet with district leaders. Several asked for specific timelines and for the board to follow up publicly on the results of those meetings.

The public comment period that produced these remarks was followed by board discussion of district communications goals and a pledge from the superintendent to return to GW and to continue coordination with community partners. The board did not adopt a new policy or take a formal vote related to the complaints during the meeting.

Community members who raised concerns said they will continue to press the board for follow-up and transparency.